Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Angel’s House Has Been Saved

Published: August 23, 2007

If you watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer in its early days, before broody Angel took off for LA and his own spin-off, you may recall a very distinctive mansion. During Buffy’s second season, the house was home to the evil Angelus, Spike and Drusilla. Those three caused a lot of trouble for the slayer but it appears that the actual mansion had problems of its own.

Beyond its place in Buffy lore, the Ennis House has an impressive history of its own. The very large house was designed by the legendary Frank Llyod Wright and is considered to be a very important piece of architectural history. The house was built in 1924 and was supervised by Lloyd Wright, the designer’s son. Unfortunately, 70 years later, the house was nearly destroyed in the Northridge earthquake and then by very heavy rains. As a result, the Ennis House was placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Places and the World Monuments Fund’s list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world.

It looked like the house was as doomed as the slayer-vampire relationship but in 2006, the Ennis House Foundation received a FEMA grant and $4.5 million construction loan. Restoration got underway soon afterward and included replacing or repairing the structural frame, the roof, art glass windows, doors, and concrete textile blocks. The work has now been completed and the landmark has been restored.

The Ennis House is not currently open to visitors but its hoped that it will be soon. If you’re in Southern California, you can still stop by to see it at 2607 Glendower Ave. in Los Feliz. Just don’t expect to see Angel there — during the daytime anyway. Stay tuned!